HMS Moony and Ducks
by Pixie-Rose-7892
Summary: Remus comes over to Tonk's place, they have a laidback date. Which is just what the pair of them need.


Remus had resigned himself to being a permanent bachelor. It was hard to find love when you were looked down on by most of the society you grew up in. He didn't mind the idea of being alone, it saved him having to go through losing yet another person. He was past fed up of losing people. James and Lily, Sirius. Could he not just be happy? It is why he had been becoming more of a recluse since his spell at Teaching at Hogwarts. He would have gladly continued teaching there, but he anticipated that once word got out that he was a werewolf the parents would demand his dismissal. So he left before that could happen.

He had spent so long not letting himself accept love, and not let himself fall in love that he had stopped spotting the signs. Which is why, when Nymphadora Tonks, his deceased best-friends niece slowly started falling in love with him, and he genuinely began liking being with her and began missing her when she wasn't around. He had no idea that this was love, that it was okay to be in love. Not until he saw Fleur and Bill; and after a long discussion he finally began believing that he was allowed to be loved and to love. So he vowed that the next chance he got he would ask her out.

* * *

Going on a date in such a time of turmoil is silly at best, and reckless at worst. Why else would Tonks find herself getting ready to go on a date with the only person she had ever loved romantically? They weren't going out on a date, Remus was coming here. They were both more comfortable that way, she had debated on cooking or ordering take out. She'd had a long day at work and had been up most of the night before keeping tabs on things for her Order mission. She jumped out of her skin when the doorbell rang; and she raced to the door, flustered quickly touching up her clothes, she had chucked on her favourite pair of jeans and a shirt. He had seen her covered in cuts and bruises and bleeding, she didn't feel like she needed to dress up; surely he would rather have her comfortable than in clothes that she didn't like just to impress him?

"Hi," she said, breathless. She had been dreaming of this day for so long she was beginning to panic. "Come in." She said as she sidestepped giving him room to actually come through the door.

"Thank you," he said as he stepped over the threshold into her home. He looked around and was taken aback, this wasn't what he was expecting. It was open-plan and tidy! He wasn't thinking that she was a slob, just that she was so busy and lived such a hectic life he wondered when she had the time to clean, as sometimes cleaning magically didn't actually do a good job. "You have a lovely home." He commented aloud.

"Thank you," She flashed him a broad smile, she headed into the living room area before turning to face him. "Would you like anything to drink? Wine, Beer, Whiskey, Brandy, Rum…" She trailed off. She was shaking, clearly nervous.

So he walked over to her, and placed his hands on her upper arms and looked into her eyes, "and breathe." He smiled, he just wanted to wrap her in his arms and protect her: from herself, from the outside world, from anything that would, or could, ever hurt her. "Tea will be fine." he gently pushed her over to the sofa, "how about you sit down and I'll make it?"

"Thanks," she breathed. "Everything is easy to find."

He busied himself over making the tea, whilst waiting for the kettle to boil he asked: "So how's work?"

"It's okay, as okay as it can be. Order missions are more problematic though." She admitted, she didn't want too many people to know this in case she was pulled from the mission, she wanted to make her mother proud, and fight a good fight.

"You look shattered," he noted. Stopping himself from adding _love_ to the end of that, he felt at home and comfortable, like he had been here for years, like he would have been if he hadn't' fought his feelings for so long.

"I am," she yawned. "I haven't been sleeping right lately." She admitted, feeling comfortable and free enough to be open and honest with him like she had no one else in her life. She got up, stretched her arms above her head and joined Remus in the kitchen. She leant back against the counter top. "You didn't mind our date being here, did you? I figured it would be safer, and I'd be more relaxed after work here."

He came and stood in front of her, leaning down he gently kissed her smooth cheek, "I didn't mind in the slightest." His hands found their way to her waist, and she stood on her tiptoes reaching to kiss him just as the kettle whistled signalling that it was, finally, boiled.

He sighed, as he stepped away from her to pour water into the two mugs that were ready and waiting. Once the tea was made he passed her a mug and cupped his own with both of his hands. "Let's go sit down."

She didn't even answer, just headed back for the sofa. "How's your day been?" She knew he didn't have a job, so she was curious to what he was doing especially after spending a year teaching in Hogwarts and becoming used to the day-to-day schedule that brought with it.

"It's been…." How did he explain his day, it had been busy but not in the conventional sense of the word. "Okay." He finished. With a brief smile.

"That sounds…. Well I don't know. Okay could be good or bad." she finished with a shrug, curling her legs underneath her and getting comfortable.

"Okay good," He smiled. "Though now is definitely the best part." He knew it was cheesy, but she brought that side out of him, a side he had never really let see the light of day. He lent his head down on her shoulder, getting comfy. He really could settle here for the night if she gave him a chance. At that moment his stomach began growling, Tonks couldn't help but laugh, she had never heard anyone's stomach rumble so loudly.

"Hungry are you?" She smiled, a jovial note in her voice. How had they managed to become so comfortable around each other in such a short space of time? She was glad of the fact; it just baffled her.

"A little…" He looked at his watch and blanched. No wonder he was hungry he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, that was 10 hours ago. "How do you feel about getting a take-away?" He asked, sometimes that was easier than cooking, especially with experiences of when he gets this hungry.

"Yeah, sounds perfect." She stood up, heading to get her array of take-away menus. She didn't often order, but for some reason they were constantly shoved through her door. "What do you feel like?" She asked, flicking through them. "There's pizza, chinese, indian, kebabs, ew" she wrinkled her nose up in disgust.

"Pizza." Remus didn't know why but there was always something nice about sharing a pizza or two with people. "Unless you want to pick something else." He was at hers after all, it was only fair.

"Nope, pizza is fine with me." She handed him the pizza menu to look over as she put the others back, before joining him on the couch again.

Remus looked over the menu, he saw it was a standard pizza menu. Nothing remarkable or out of the ordinary. Without looking further he handed it back and said "Spicy meat lovers, 14 inches" He always went for the meatiest pizza he could, and he did love spicy ones too, the hotter the better. "What about you? what is your go to pizza?"

"BBQ Chicken Supreme with sweetcorn added," she had ordered from this specific place so much that they knew what she was going to order as soon as she rang. "Normally with a side of wedges and alcohol." She laughed, she had a habit of needing a glass or two of some alcoholic drink to unwind after a day at the Ministry, but today that didn't seem to be the case, she had no desire to retrieve the bottle of wine in the cupboard and pour herself any.

"Ooh, that sounds like a plan" he agreed. "The wedges not necessarily the alcohol." he could give or take that, sometimes it helped settle him, other times it made him worse. Right now just being with Tonks was wonderful, he felt like he would never need a drink again.

Five minutes later Tonks hung up her land line phone, declaring "food will be here in 10." she drained her lukewarm tea, holding her cup up she asked: "want another?"

Remus looked over at his long empty mug and shook his head, he wasn't a massive fan of tea, he liked it, but it wasn't his favourite drink. "Have you got any squash or something?" He asked, just as she flicked the kettle on. He would happily have a mg of orange squash mixed with hot water if it was possible — some people thought it strange, but he liked it and saw no problems with it.

"Erm…" Tonks started hunting through her cupboards, the longer she looked the more likely it was that she wouldn't find it. What felt like an age later, whereas it was only a few minutes, she pulled a bottle of orange squash out of one of the bottom cupboards, she had practically had to climb in i to reach. The sight of which made Remus chuckle too quiet for her to hear, thankfully. "This okay?"

"Perfect," he beamed, getting up and grabbing his mug and joining her in the kitchen.

"Would you like some?" she asked, figuring he did as it would have been strange of him to ask.

"Yes please, mixed with hot water though not cold." He smiled at the puzzled look on her face. "It is nice, I promise you." Tonks just shook her head but did as was asked, they had not long settled back down before the doorbell chimed, signalling the arrival of their food. Tonks jumped out of her seat and practically ran to the door. She grabbed her purse on the way. Paid the delivery bloke and returned laden down with their food. Remus got up and tried to give her a hand, but the stubborn woman she is Tonks just shook her head muttering "I'm okay, I can manage." She reached the coffee table and sat herself down on the floor on the opposite side to where Remus was standing.

"You can come and sit up here you know." Remus said, patting the sofa beside him. "I may be starving but I won't bite you." Remus liked having her close, being able to smell the shampoo on her still damp hair, to feel her warmth radiating out from her. Not many people that knew his secret would come that close, but it didn't seem to phase her at all and that made him love her even more. It showed bravery and that she accepted him, even that side of him. "Plus it is the wrong time of the month for me to be close to doing that." He muttered half under his breath, not really meaning for her to hear in.

Tonks choked on the tea she had just taken a gulp of, she had no choice to spit it out as she began coughing and giggling simultaneously. She had heard what he muttered, with a smile on her face she got up and joined him on the sofa, which immediately made him put his arm around her waist and pull her into his side. "That's yours." She said, indicating the box in front of him before opening up her own and the wedges.

"Thanks," he opened his own pizza box and grabbed a slice and began eating. He really was famished, he hadn't realised to what extent until he smelt the food. He got through half of his before he'd realised. He looked over and noticed that Tonks was still only on her second piece. This fact meant that he felt like a pig, and hoped she hadn't been watching hi!m at all, as he knew it wouldn't have been a pretty sight. He leant back and relaxed before carrying on with his food. "It's been too long since I've had pizza" he mused, licking his lips and fingers. "This is good, really good. The best I've ever had." He was rambling, he needed to stop. He closed his pizza box and got up. Sitting there would do him no good.

"Where are you going?" she asked, worried. He'd turned her down so many times in the past, so she was shocked when this was arranged, and she'd spent so long between then and now fretting he'd change his mind. Right then that was the feeling in her gut.

"Just stretching my legs and taking a little break from food." He smiled, trying to convey reassurances that he was going nowhere. She relaxed a little and smiled. "How about we watch a film?" She had a Muggle TV and Video player, and some films on video in the flat.

"Uh" he looked puzzled. "What type of film?" He asked mentally pleading _not a romcom, anything but a romcom_.

"A Disney film?" She asked.

"Sure," he shrugged. Not know what exactly he was letting himself in for. "Have you got any alcohol?" He asked if there was a chance he was going to end up watching a more girly film he wanted alcohol.

Tonks nodded, as she got up to grab a video and set it up. "Top cupboard for the glasses, bottom cupboard or fridge for the wine." It was all she had, well other than the spirits, but to start with them was a very dangerous game to play, or it was for her.

He went to the kitchen and grabbed the glasses and a bottle of red and returned to the table setting the glasses and the bottle down and sitting back on the sofa. "So what exactly are we going to watch?"

She smirked, holding up the video case "Beauty and the Beast" she replied returning over the to sofa. Lately this film had become her favourite and the one she always put on. She figured it was because she could relate to it, as it was ever since she fell in love with Remus, she figured it was probably cruel for her to pick this one, but she was on autopilot.

"So what's it about?" He asked, hugging her as she sat back down.

"Nope," she vigorously shook her head "you'll have to watch it and find out" she smiled and relaxed into his arms as she pressed play and the titles began.

As the titles were rolling Tonks poured two generous glasses of wine out she handed one to Remus. "You picked a good one out of the cupboard" she smiled she had some cheaper ones that she could drink, but preferred cooking with. Thankfully he'd managed not to pick one of them. She took a sip of her wine before diving for some wedges, she pushed the box towards him "want some?" She asked, the last thing she wanted was to scare him off because he thought she was a pig.

He took a few and ate them, they were still warm, not piping hot just warm. The way he liked them. "Thanks" he murmured around a mouthful. The film was just starting, so he settled himself down to watch it.

Throughout the film they were curled up together, her in his arms. Both totally engrossed in the film and relishing in just being close to the other. The only movements they made was to reach for either food or wine. As the credits began to roll Tonks reached for the remote to set the video to rewind but Remus stopped her. He had somehow shifted so that she was leaning on his chest. He put a finger to her chin and lifted her face so it was in line with his before placing his lips to hers and giving her a swift, soft kiss. She snaked her hands around his neck, pulling herself into him and deepening the kiss. She had been dreaming of this for so long she was going to make the most of it. There was a low groan in his throat which made her heart flutter. When they finally broke apart they were struggling to get their breath back, they wore matching goofy grins. "That was amazing" she said through getting her breath back. She curled up into him, and would happily stay that way for the rest of her life, if she could.

"That's one word for it" he smiled. He looked at his watch and frowned. "It's late," he drained his glass of wine and stood up. "I should probably go, you've got work in the morning after all." He sighed, he had enjoyed the whole night and the last thing he wanted to do was leave, but she needed sleep, she was clearly shattered, and she had a job to go to.

"You could stay" she said, she didn't want him to leave. Yes she needed sleep, but she knew as soon as he left she'd be at the table and working on order things rather than sleeping. "I'd like you to stay." She stood up and took his hands in hers. "Please?" She nearly begged. Her eyes were wide and had a pleading look identical to her voice.

How could he really say no to her now? "Okay then. Let's go to bed though, you need to sleep, you look shattered."

A grin broke over her face, and she launched into a hug, yawning as she did. "Uh huh," she agreed. "Maybe you're right." She took his hand, and they headed to the bedroom. The first of many nights he would sleep in that bed.


End file.
